The 1991 Braves, Game 7-losers in the World Series, and '98 Falcons, 34-19 losers of Super Bowl XXXIII, both were paraded through the streets and saluted.

If they tried that in, let's say, New York, for example, most of the salutes probably would have featured only a single finger. And they wouldn't have been signifying "We're No. 1!"

But this is the South, where they say "ma'am" and "honey" and pride flows as thickly as Waffle House syrup.

Atlanta loved those teams – the Braves had gone from worst to first, the Falcons had taken the city farther in an NFL season than ever before – and there's something quaint about being moved to acknowledge "We're No. 2!"

Of course, around here they have plenty of practice exorcising expectation, which is the mood likely to envelope the Georgia Dome on Sunday when the Falcons host the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC divisional playoffs.

Good thing the place has a roof. It can deflect the sky when it falls.

Atlanta's Mike Smith has been in three postseason games as a head coach and lost them all. The same goes for quarterback Matt Ryan. In his most recent playoff start – a year ago against the Giants – Ryan's Falcons finished the game with two – Two! – points.

Think about that. It's funny, right?

The Falcons' most recent playoff victory was quarterbacked by Michael Vick. In case you're unaware, Vick has been a few other things since then, including not free.

So, Atlanta is extremely due Sunday, due not to be done again, done too soon. Sports Illustrated captured the mood this way: "Everybody in the playoffs this weekend wants to win. But the Falcons have to win."

And not just for themselves, either.

In February of 2012, Forbes magazine placed Atlanta atop its annual list of "America's Most Miserable Sports Cities."

Finally, "We're No. 1!" No, there was no parade.

In our four major pro team sports, Atlanta has just one championship, the '95 World Series won by the Braves. That's one title. Ever.

Teams representing this city have completed 156 seasons. That's 1 for 156, a batting average of .006.

Think about that. It's sad, right?

This city hasn't hoisted the Super Bowl trophy, worn the NBA crown or swigged from the Stanley Cup.

Basketball's Hawks never have won more than one playoff series in any season since moving here.

Hockey's Flames never even won a postseason series, and their little brothers, the Thrashers, never even won a postseason game. Atlanta not only lost often in the NHL but also lost both those franchises.

Long-time local sportswriter Mark Bradley once called the history of the city's pro sports a "cosmic whiff." "Our teams build us up." Bradley observed, "to let us down."

It's now back on the Falcons, who, in 47 seasons of trying, have won only six playoff games. The New York Giants, by comparison, won four last season alone.

Of course, this time, the Falcons are the No. 1 seed, which would mean a lot in some places. In "America's Most Miserable Sports City," not so much.

The Falcons were seeded first in the 1981 playoffs, led Dallas by two touchdowns after third quarters and lost anyway.

The franchise's other No. 1 seed came in 2011, when the Falcons jumped on Green Bay, 14-7, and then watched the Packers score five consecutive touchdowns in barely 18 minutes.

Still, the spirit here remains as warm as a side of creamy grits.

"With the team that we have now, and all of the guys that have been around each other, with him (Ryan)ï¿½ leading us as a group, and knowing that everybody is on the same page, it's going to be a different outcome," wide receiver Roddy White told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

He might be right. The Falcons, like their city, are due, 15 months pregnant due. Ryan is bound to play better this time. It's simple mathematics, like that .006 batting average.

In his postseason career, Ryan has thrown more interceptions (four) than touchdown passes (three) and his Falcons have been outscored by a combined 55 points. The next time he passes for 200 or more yards in a playoff game will be the first time.

But, hey, Peyton Manning lost his first three playoff games, too, and he's won a few since then.

Yeah, the Falcons have a real chance this time. So does Atlanta, God bless her southern-fried souls.

If the folks here need more belief, they can turn to an unlikely source. Remember that Forbes magazine list?

Sitting right behind Atlanta, ranked second among "America's Most Miserable Sports Cities," is an interesting and strangely familiar name this weekend: